Developer seeks approval for large water park in St. George

A 3D rendering of a waterslide for Splash City Adventure Water Park, proposed to be built in the Middleton area of St. George at approximately 2200 E. Middleton Drive, St. George, Utah, image presented circa 2017 | Image courtesy of city of St. George, St. George News

ST. GEORGE — Conditional use permits for features at a new water park in the planning stages that includes “extreme waterslides” were recommended for approval by the St. George Planning Commission Tuesday.

A drawing displays plans for “Splash City Adventure Water Park” proposed to be built in the Middleton area of St. George at approximately 2200 E. Middleton Drive | Image courtesy City of St. George, St. George News | Click on image to enlarge

“Splash City Adventure Water Park” is planned to be built in the Middleton area of St. George at approximately 2200 East Middleton Drive just west of Interstate 15 Exit 10.

The park is themed after tropical island destinations with influences from Caribbean and Polynesian locations set along the red rock backdrop of surrounding hillsides.

“Guests will have the feeling of being in a land that is unlike anything they have experienced before,” according to a narrative about the water park by developer Red Cliffs Development and Investments.

Features include waterslides, a 900-foot-long “Lazy River,” a surfing-capable wave pool and play areas for children all surrounded by shaded cabanas.

While the water features are planned to be opened on a seasonal basis, the developer is also seeking permit to construct a 22,179-square-foot “Family Entertainment Center” to be opened year-round on the property that includes a large arcade room, trampoline area and indoor surf machines.

A 3D rendering of “Splash City Adventure Water Park,” proposed to be built in the Middleton area of St. George at approximately 2200 E. Middleton Drive | Image courtesy City of St. George, St. George News | Click on image to enlarge

The property is already zoned for commercial use and the water park does not need prior approval from the city, but conditional use permits for both the 73-foot-tall waterslide tower and the size of the entertainment center still need to be approved by the St. George City Council.

The section of Middleton Drive that goes through the property also needs to be relinquished by the Utah Department of Transportation before the application for permit can be presented to the City Council.

Water for the park’s features would be supplied from the city’s culinary, or drinking, water system, Marc Mortensen, St. George assistant to the city manager, told St. George News, adding that the park would also employ a method of water recycling.

Mortensen said he expects the water park’s conditional use permits to be considered for approval at a City Council meeting at St. George City Hall within the next three to four weeks.

Ed. note: Report advised to emphasize the fact that the developer is seeking approval for the conditional use permits.

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About the Author

Joseph Witham is a Utah Valley University graduate with a bachelor's degree in communication. He loves the Utah outdoors scene and is likely to be found camping or hiking in any one of the state's epic landscapes on a given weekend. He is equally passionate about writing and was published in various news media, including The Daily Herald in Utah County, before joining St. George News.

24 Comments

And with the closing of Middleton Drive (I know it is a less traveled road, but what about those who DO use it), how will the Redhills Parkway handle all that traffic ? How about the intersection at GreenSprings? Or is the City just going to dump the problems on Washington City? I can’t believe that they are going to give up a road for this when there already so many problems with traffic.

Only if they allow the waterpark to operate on even days, after 8 PM, and have a water recovery system that recycles 80 percent of the water used. Allow 20 percent shrinkage on the slides caused by friction of overheated derrieres.

This is a horrible idea. We live in a desert and yes, I know it gets hot, but it also means we have to think carefully about how we use our water. And this is not a good way to use our water. Even with their vague “…method of recycling water…” comment, an outdoor water park in our dry heat will lose a lot of water to evaporation. It’s reckless. Maybe the year-round indoor part is OK but NOT the water slide. (But to be fair I am also appalled at all of the outdoor “water features” in public and private locations.) Finally, what will this to do the already bad congestion around Exit 10 that needs to be fixed? Won’t a facility like this just make things worse?

Right! This is another great idea from our illustrious city leaders, “If approved water for the park’s features will be supplied from the city’s culinary, or drinking, water system, Marc Mortensen, St. George assistant to the city manager, told St. George News, adding that the park would also employ a method of water recycling.” Mr. Mortensen, using drinking water for such an idea is crazy. Recycling? Yes, some, but there will be plenty of evaporation taking water and requiring replenishment. Foxyheart’s comment about Green Springs and Red Hills Parkway is right on. Leaders know they already have a problem there but instead of doing the jobs and fulfilling their leadership responsibilities they are willing to make the problem bigger. Perhaps it’s all part of their plan to make those roads so untenable that they can then convince citizens that they need to support the idea of a Northern Corridor to help solve the problem they’ve created – which it will not! This idea plays right into their plans for showing a “need” for both the Lake Powell Pipeline and the Northern Corridor. They’re sneaky if nothing else!

This is not an idea from city leaders. In case you didn’t know, private property owners come to the city planning commission with an “idea” to develop their property . Then if it gets approval, it makes it to City Council meeting. Sometimes a city will have an idea, but many times landowners (imagine that) come up with their own idea. Again, great idea, but a very problematic location. Also, could be an embarrassing eyesore when it goes belly-up in 2-3 years.

Lastdays, my reference to city leaders was more directed at Marc Mortensen’s comment about it and his apparent support for the project that will use “culinary” water specifically but any water in general. I’m aware of the approval process for developments such as this, but given what I’ve seen by way of the approval process, it might as well be a city leader idea anyway. Apparently people live in the desert but they don’t want to live in the desert when it comes to water and how it should properly be used. I know people want to have fun places for their kids, but decisions such as this will encourage the pipeline project, a project that will significantly drive up costs in this community. People want their children to be able to live here, but will they be able to afford to live here? Is it the best decision for the kids to provide them with a water park to satisfy their short-term “desires” rather than using our water wisely to satisfy their long-term “needs?” Your point about an eyesore should things go belly up is a good one.

This would be awesome it’s what Washington county needs. It would make more sense to build it out by the airport room to grow. I know Arizona state borders out there, but at least have more room for parking.

this is just a lobbying strategy by the developers, because the St. George Planning Commission
isn’t nothing but a group of stooges that comes forward with these brainstorms and then will go
back to the developers and say you build this but you cannot build that.
It will be interesting to see how the geniuses will take take traffic control and water conservation
into consideration when it comes to planning for this brainstorm, much like the other very well planned
and thought out designs for traffic control and business locations in Saint George.
A couple letters to a federal level for water planning should really help us get the pipeline, haha

I think this is a great idea it will bring in tourists and a lot of tax revenue for the county. Not to mention all the jobs that it will create in both the the construction and when the place opens. Its in a good spot right in the middle of st George and Washington near the freeway. Whoever said put it by the airport that’s a terrible idea put it in the middle of no where genius idea. And they will have to pay for all the water they use like everyone else and all the other businesses whats the big deal. I would thing that they have it all engendered out to conserve as much water as possible. What about all the golf courses we have using way more ater than this park ever will.

this article is propaganda hyped from a specific developer and carried forward by the city’s planning commission to try and sell some really crappy property that isn’t good for nothing but a parking lot for a certain auto repair business. This article is as bogus as the one about the developer trying to put up some multi living units in santa clara a few months back.
I wish StGeorgeUtah.com LLC, would quit catering to the developers for trying to hype up their really crappy land.